Learning to love Christmas
by BabyBird101
Summary: Jack hates Christmas because he was ignored for so long he doesn't celebrate it. But when North's send some old friends to teach the winter spirit a new point of view will Jack turn his feelings around or is he going to have to suffer the consequences of his actions? Rated K plus for feels
1. Chapter 1

Jack flew into the North Pole to see the yeti's and elves running around like maniacs. Huge boxes were stacked everywhere with shining decorations and other glittering things in them.

"Phil!" Called Jack, flying over to the yeti. "What's going on?"

"Christmas!" shouted a voice from behind him. Jack Frost turned to see the big man himself standing there. "Christmas is tomorrow and with all the toy making finally done we can decorate now!"

Jack laughed and picked up a toy nutcracker from a box. "Fun."

"Would you like to help?" North's eyes were bright with excitement. Jack opened his mouth to protest but before he could say anything the big man interrupted. "I know I will call the others. We may have not been very close over the last hundred years but they all love decorating!"

"You sure about that?" Jack chuckled and put the toy down.

"Of course!"

* * *

"No we don't!" Bunny shouted a few minutes later. "I've only got four months till Easter and I don't have time for your pet projects!"

Jack laughed quietly from the rafters. He watched North's desperate attempts to get his fellow guardians to help with the Christmas cheer.

"North I really would love to..." Tooth trailed off. Sandy nodded emphatically.

"That is great because-"

"But!" the fairy continued. "It is the holiday season and you know how many teeth kids loose when they eat candy."

Sandy nodded and made a picture of snow and clouds. Most likely he was indicating the longer winter nights. More night, more dreams.

North's shoulders slumped but before his friends could escape he spoke quietly as if sharing a secret.

"Please friends," he begged. "It is our newest members first Christmas with us. I wish to have everything better than ever."

Bunny took a step back as if in shock. "Frostbite's first Christmas? It's only been that long?"

Tooth gasped. "Well we can't have that. I'll help!"

Sandy grinned and gave two thumbs up.

"Wait, wait, wait," Jack flew down, hovering over his friend's heads. "You don't have to help if you don't want to. I don't even celebrate Christmas."

Everyone stopped in their tracks.

"Don't celebrate Christmas!" Bunny was the first to crack. "It may not be my favorite holiday mate but even I celebrate it. You've never been to one of North's parties."

"That's just it," Jack tried to keep his tone light. "I've never been to a Christmas party. After three hundred years of being alone and watching the entire world celebrate it the holiday has been... How do I say this...? Spoiled."

He shrugged but all could see the cold fury in his eyes.

"Jack," Tooth tried for a loving smile, "the past is the past, this is now. Christmas is a lovely time to spend with your friends and family and-"

"Oh," Jck intervened. "That would be the other part of Christmas I don't like." His temper was beginning in to get the best of him and his hands were shaking. "It's all about 'friends' and 'family'. I didn't have either of those things for all the time so it was just another day except everyone I could see was enjoying the one thing I could have... Love."

The wind let him drop a little and he stood on the cold floor, his body shaking.

North stood as if frozen, looking at the child he had ignored for so long. Jack had only been naughty to get people's attention, people who couldn't even see him.

"Jack I promise-" North began, trying to get over his shock.

"No!" Jack backed up, his eyes brimming with tears that never did seem to travel down his cheeks. "I don't want anything to do with your precious Christmas!" He summoned the winds and shot out the window with a flurry of snowflakes.

Tooth turned to north who had reverted to his frozen trance. "Oh north I'm sure he didn't mean it."

"Yes," North stroked his chin. "He did. But that doesn't matter."

Bunny's eyes went wide. "You don't mean...?"

"Yes my friends. Jack is going to get a visit from... them."

Sandy realized what he was talking about and covered his eyes.

* * *

Jack sat on the ledge over his pond. "Stupid Christmas..." he muttered. "And my friends actually being Nieves enough to think just because 'Santa' really exists I'm going to put on a stupid jingle hat and start singing carols." He stood, restless energy driving him wild. "It's their fault anyway! They're the ones who left me alone to sit in a freezing cave while the whole world celebrated it."

Jack jumped down to the lake, not bothering to let the winds catch him. He hit the cold water harder than he thought he would and a crack made his heart jump.

Hands fumbling he tried to call on the wind to save him but fear made his fingers numb and he dropped his wooden staff, the dark brown stick skidding away. Heart pounding in his ears the ice below his feet cracked again, a sound like a whip and the skinny white haired boy fell into the icy depths.

**So what do ya think? R&R and you get more. And I know it's short, the next one will be longer**


	2. Chapter 2

Jack struggled under the ice, attempting to swim upward toward oxygen. But he couldn't figure out which way was up. Panic filled his heart, threatening to drown him before the water could.

After almost a minute he gave up and hugged his legs and arms to his chest. He was going to drown, just like before. He hit the bottom a moment later, his head blurry and the wet sand making a cloud around him. When he looked up he thought he was seeing things at first.

A little boy in a white suit and tie smiled at him, holding out a small pale hand. Not knowing what was going on he took the boys hand. With a smile on that young face he looked upward and they were swallowed in a glowing mass.

* * *

Air. Jack gasped for breath, the water escaping from his lungs. The boy stood next to him, those perfectly shined shoes almost glowing white.

When Jack could speak he said, "thank you. For a moment I thought..." Looking around he realized where he was. It was the same pond but different somehow. The trees were smaller and a huge full moon shone overhead. "Who are you?" Jack asked, standing.

"I'm the spirit of Christmas past." smiled the little boy. "You told Father Christmas you hated his holiday."

"Father Christmas?" Jack raised an eyebrow. "You mean North? Of course I hate Christmas they abandoned me for three hundred years! How am I supposed to like a holiday I've never been able to be a part of?"

"Oh but you have been a part of it!" The boy giggled, a sound almost like bells. "Don't you remember?" He walked forward and Jack followed.

"Look kid I don't have time for your game, I need to find my staff and-"

"This isn't a game," the boy laughed and pointed at a small wooden house only a few yards away.

Jack stopped protesting and looked in the window. Three people sat in the flickering fire light. And Jack knew those people. Attempting to get a closer look he pressed his face against the glass and fell right through the wall.

"Sorry," said the boy, sticking his head through the wall above the fallen teenager. "Did I forget to tell you we just go through walls?"

"Not that big of a shock," Jack pulled himself to his feet brushing off dust. "I've been going through _people_ forever why not buildings?"

He looked over the room and watched the scene. A woman with dark hair pulled up in curls, and a worn but festive dress sat in the corner. A smile was all she needed to show off her incomparable beauty.

On the floor, right below a huge green pine tree decorated with tinsel and glass balls, was two children. The youngest was a girl in a brown dress lined with red trim at the bottom, he hair was pulled up in curls as well and her huge brown eyes glinted with excitement. The eldest was a boy wearing a clean white cotton shirt and to small brown pants. His hair was a mess as if it just grew that way. But he also looked excited.

"Look at this Emma!" The boy smiled pulling out a small package. "I bet you anything that this is the doll you want."

Emma grinned. "I know Jack!" She giggled.

Jack Frost felt his heart melt at the sight and walked slowly forward. His pale hand went right through her warm brown hair. "Emma?" He choked.

"You see?" Said the spirit of Christmas past. "You've been a part of Chirtsmas before. Eighteen wonderful ones."

"It's different," Jack swallowed, staring straight at the small girl.

"Jack!" laughed his mother. Both boys turned to her. "Stop shaking all the presents or there won't be any surprise tomorrow."

"I bet you anything you got skates," whispered Emma.

"I hope you got them too," the brown haired child hugged his sister.

"Come one kiddies. Bed or santa will never come," their mother smiled.

"But I'm not... Tired..." Emma yawned and Jack picked her up placing her in the bed a Jack and she shared.

The boy and his mother stood and watched the younger child drift off.

"You too young man," His mother pushed him toward the bed. "Santa won't come unless we're all asleep."

"Mom," Jack shook his head. "I'm eighteen, you can't convince me Father Christmas really exists."

"I know honey," his mother kissed the top of his head. "But the stories are all your sister will have left when you leave."

"I'm not going nowhere mom. I'm staying here and I'm going to take care of you and Emma."

"No!" she shook her head hard. "When your father left he promised I would take care of you. And now you're all grown up. You need to go out into the world and take care of yourself. You have your entire life in front of you. You can get married and have kids of your own."

Jack shook his head and gripped his mothers hands. "I won't leave you. I'll get a good job at the market and... and..."

"Hoeny," she laughed and ran a hand through his chocolate brown hair, "you're dreams are so much bigger than this town. You can't get stuck here."

"That doesn't matter unless I know you're safe."

"I know," she tucked Jack into his bed. "I know."

Smoke surrounded the scene and Jack Frost jumped up form his position on the floor.

"No!" He yelled.

The boy behind him had a sorrowful expression.

"Go back!" Jack screamed. "Go back!"

"As you wish..." The boy sighed and waved his hand and the scene solidified again.

Ripped paper sat on the ground and Emma sat on the floor with her new doll and a pain of skates at her side.

Jack laughed as he opened his package. "Skates!" He cried joyfully. He looked up at his mother who had dark circles under her eyes but smiled anyway. "Thanks mom!"

"Can go skating?" asked Emma, dropping her doll.

"I don't know honey, I don't think the ice is thick enough..."

"Oh please!" Both Jack and Emma cried.

"Alright," she sighed.

Jack pulled on his brown cloak and both children grabbed their skates.

"But be carefull!" She laughed as they walked out the door.

"We will," Jack smiled at his mother as the small girl pulled him toward the small pond.

"Stop," Jack Frost whispered.

"Why not? You're going skating aren't you?" The boy hopped excitedly.

"Stop," Jack stood, hugging his arms to his chest.

"But this is so much fun!" The boy skipped after the past Jack and his little sister. She was standing on the lake, skates strapped to her feet, and began wobbling to the center.

"Careful Emma!" Past Jack laughed.

"Stop!" Jack frost's voice barely hid the crack of ice below Emma's feet.

The tiny girl began to sake as the ice began to moan under her light weight.

"It's ok, it's ok just look at me..." The brown hair teenager comforted.

"Jack I'm scared!" The small girl whispered.

"Stop!" Screamed the winter spirit.

"Alright," the spirit of Christmas past blurred the scene. "Why'd you make me stop? It was just getting interesting."

"Because that's how I die!"

"Oh!" The spirit gasped. "What, what happened?"

"I got my sister onto the stronger ice and I fell in." Jack hugged his arms and looked down. "That was my last Christmas with them. I never did find out what happened to her."

"I'm sorry," the smaller child whispered.

"Why did you show me that anyway?" Jack's voice turned frigid.

"I'm only the first of three spirits. Two others will come to show you the present and the future."

"Why?"

"You hate Christmas. We want to see if we can change your mind."

Jack laughed. "By showing me how I died. Yes that will make me love the holiday so much." The sarcasm dripping form his voice was clear.

The small boy sighed. "I will return you to where I found you then."

"Wait... What?" Jack could feel the icy water around him and before the water could get to his lungs he inhaled sharply.

When he blinked he could only see dark cold water. This time there was air in his brain. With the strength of three hundred years he swam toward the strip of sunlight above him. He had no idea how long he had been gone but when his pale hands broke the surface a warm sunset greeted him.

He pulled the upper part of his body out of the pond and began to pull the rest of him out.

Before he could get any farther another hand lowered in front of him.

**Oh who is it? I'm pretty sure you can guess but it could be someone else! **

**Anyway R&R please**


	3. Chapter 3

Jack looked up and once more saw someone who he did not know. This was an older man in a green suit similar to the one the small boy had been wearing. This one was a little grander and the man in the suit was definitely grander.

He was bigger around than North and twice as tall. How the ice wasn't breaking under his weight was a miracle.

"Hello Frost!" He boomed. "Nice to finally meet you!" He gripped the back of Jack's hoodie and lifted him up onto the ice. Water dripped off of the hoodie and Jack pulled the water logged pice of clothing off.

"Yea," Jack rung out his hoodie. "I suppose you're the spirit of Christmas present?"

"A good guesser too!" Laughed the spirit. "I like you Frost!"

"Let's just get this over with."

The spirit grumped, crossing his arms over his ample chest. "I was told you were the guardian of fun. Where is that Jack?"

"I'm fun when I'm having fun." Jack pulled his hoodie back over his head and glanced around for his staff. "Being shown the day I died doesn't quite fit under that category."

"Well mister grumpy pants," teased the spirit. "We should probably get going then." He shot out and grabbed Jack's wrist, his hand covering the boy's entire lower arm.

"Wait!" Jack scrabbled at the hammy fingers. "I have to find my staff!"

But they were gone in a flash of light.

* * *

When Jack blinked away the brightness he found himself in a back room of the tooth palace. Fairies flew around behind him and the golden structures glistened with light and belief. Nothing seemed wrong. "Why are we here?" Jack asked honestly.

But the older man didn't get the chance to speak. Quiet sobs made both turn. There, in the corner, sat the fairy queen herself. She has in her arms a small wrapped box tied together with a large blue ribbon and bow.

"Tooth?" Jack crouched next to his friend and looked at the tag on the top of the package.

'To, Jack Frost

Love from, Tooth Fairy'

"I'm sorry," whispered Tooth, a trail of tears sliding down her cheeks. "I didn't realize. We left you out in the cold during Christmas of all times. I thought you would want to spend this one with us."

"Oh, Tooth it isn't that..." Jack trailed off. Because that was exactly it. She had hit the nail right on the head. But now that the repercussions of that accusation was staring him in this face he felt his fury fade.

"You see what you have done?" The spirit behind him asked. "Christmas is at being with family and friends and for the first time in three hundred years you have the chance."

"I didn't want to hurt her-or any of them... I just..." Jack glanced at the fairy queen. But she was no longer there the scene had faded and solidified in a different location. They were in the center of the North Pole, the big man himself leaning against the globe console. He rubbed the bridge of his nose while Sandy floated behind him, patting his shoulder.

"I had never thought..." North growled, his deep Russian voice full of regret. "For so long I bet he thought we hated him."

Sandy shook his head, sand flying all over the green and gold console.

North turned around, his strong hands resting on the edge of the solid wood. "And now the young man hates us."

Sandy shook has head again, a large golden 'X' flashing over his head.

North looked up at him and sighed. "I know what you are trying to say Sandy. He does not hate us..."

Sandy sighed and nodded.

"But he hates Christmas!" North threw his hands in the air.

Sandy sighed with exasperation and sand flew out his ears.

"And if he hates Christmas he hates me!" North returned to his previous state of rubbing his temples. "I am turning in Sandy, rest up for the fly tomorrow."

The scene faded out and Jack turned to the spirit. "Stop this," he groaned. "I don't hate them. Especially not North. He's like the father I never had."

"Ah," the spirit smiled grimly. "But Father Christmas said it himself. You hate his holiday, which in turn, comes back to him."

* * *

They were back at the lake the spirit standing there, a grim look on his face as Jack again searched for his staff.

"I have to get back to the pole!" Jack picked up the thin stick of wood. "I have to tell North I don't hate him!"

"Unfortunately," the green suited man sighed. "You cannot go quite yet."

"Why not?"

"You still have one more visitor..." The green man seemed to fade in the air.

"Spirit?" Jack was filled with uneasiness. Black smoke filed in from around the trees, washing over Jack and surrounding him with dread. In the sky above the sun sank faster, the sky darkening. But no starts came out and the faint warm blue didn't invade upon the ebony black.

A laugh, dark, maniacal, and gentle rang through the air. The darkness continued to grow until you couldn't see anything but the light shining form Jack's ice blue eyes.

A figure appeared on the edges of his vision. Cloaked in darkness and a mist of midnight floating around him.

"Pitch?"

**Suspence... For a few hours at least, I'll be posting the last two or three chapters before Christmas ends. I hope you enjoy!**

**R&R!**


	4. Chapter 4

But the figure that emerged form the mist wasn't Pitch. He looked more like the grim reaper. He had a cloak of darkness that surrounded him.

"Oh good," Jack sighed. "Not Pitch. I suppose that you're the spirit of Christmas future?"

The figure nodded and held out a thin, deathly pale hand.

"If you're here to take me to another depressing scene I'm out," Jack crossed his arms.

"The future isn't like the past." The spirit's voice was deeper than North's by at least five octaves. It rumbled in the ground and the surrounding mist. "The future has many roads based ln the choices we make. This could be good or bad."

Jack winced "You're the last spirit right?"

"Correct."

"Fine," Jack sighed, walking to the strange man. "I'll go, but you bring me back as soon as I say," he ordered.

The spirit nodded and offered his hand again. Jack took the bone like hand and he was sucked into the darkness. It felt like an eternity in the darkness but it couldn't have been more than a few minutes. The only solid thing in a world of whirling blackness was the thin hands in his.

When his vision slowly came back he felt a thick, frigid cold. He could actually feel the icy blast and he didn't like it.

"W-why is it so cold?" Jack stuttered, rubbing his arms.

"You are not feeling the cold of surrounding air. You are feeling the cold from inside. This future is not a warm one."

"What d-does that mean?"

"Watch," the mist cleared away and Jack found himself in the North Pole. But it didn't look like its normal cheery self. The tapestries hung limply from sagging beams. The woods was scraped and scuffed, with worn paint stains everywhere. No elves skipped around making a tense silence. He couldn't hear any yeti cries and the ones he could see looked beaten and tired.

"What's going on?" Jack turned to the spirit but he only gestured for him to watch.

Faint footsteps could be heard and a moment later bunny came in looking strong and proud as ever but the glint of hope and joy in his eyes were gone to be replaced with a stern fury.

Right behind them came Sandy, who sat on his golden cloud with a tired expression on his face.

Then came Tooth who did not fly but walked, a gentle smile on her face as she led North himself into the room.

Tooth's bright feathers were ruffled and missing in some places on her arms. The long feathers that usually adorned her waist were ripped and fragile. And the bright blue and green headdress hung around her shoulders making her seem as small and weak as some of her fairies.

But North was the worst. His strong form was now slouched over and frail, much like any other old man. His long hair and beard were unkempt and his coat had been patched so many times that it was hard to tell what had originally been there. He used a cane, a thick wooden stump with a hand hold and Tooth's hand in his seemed to be the only thing that kept his small smile out. The joy and wonder in his blue eyes was gone to be replaced with a glaze of gray. He was blind.

"Is everyone here?" North's voice was gruff and exhausted.

"We're waiting for Jack," Tooth patted his hand gently, leading him to a chair.

"Why are we waiting for that prick?" Bunny growled. "He never comes to your Christmas parties. He never has and he never will."

Sandy waved a small finger in the air, reprimanding the rabbit.

"Sandy's right," Tooth smiled. "Maybe he'll come his year!"

"I doubt it Toothy," North groaned. "You know he hates Christmas."

"What is this?" Jack turned to the spirit. "This is a joke right? That can't be North or my of them. They're to..."

"Watch," the spirit spoke.

A gust of wind made Jack look up. In flew a skinny boy with messy white hair. It was Jack, but not quite. The hoodie was there but the sleeves were ripped off, exposing deathly thin arms. His skin tight worn pants were gone to be replaced with ripped black jeans. His staff was scuffed, the crook at the top clinging on only be tendrils of frost. And nothing about his face seems the same. His hair was a bit longer than normal, gathered together at the base of his neck with a piece of leather.

"Merry Christmas!" He laughed, a bitter sound like icicles cracking. "And how are my fellow guardians?"

"Bunny would you close the window?" Tooth whispered. "We don't want North to get to cold."

Bunny nodded and hopped over to the open window. Closing it didn't make much difference as the glass had many missing panes. He passed right by Jack, ignoring him completely.

"Silent treatment then?" Jack laughed. "I'm hurt Bunny; really am." He rolled his eyes and walked to Sandy. "Hiya little buddy."

Sandy ignored him as well, making no acknowledgment of his existence.

"Fine then, you're in on it with Bunny." He continued on to North. "Hey Santa Claus! How you feeling lately?"

North coughed slightly and ignored him.

"Well then..." Jack's voice trailed off, loosing some it's edge.

"North," Tooth's gentle voice said. "Do you want something to drink?"

"No thank you dear." North smiled. "How are you're fairies lately?"

"I keep loosing them. But I'll be ok. I still have enough to get most of the teeth."

"And how's Bunny?" North asked almost forgetting his friend was in the room.

"His eggs are tired a lot. They can still get around though. Bunny's a stubborn one."

"And my dear friend Sandy?"

"His dreamsand is running out. He can't give many dreams anymore."

"How did the yeti's do for Christmas?"

Tooth winced. "We only have four reindeer left. The snow doesn't come anymore and the sleigh can't get anywhere. We can hardly get all the presents done." She turned and for the first time the real Jack saw the globe. The lights were few and far between. Many flickered out as he watched.

"Tooth?" the Jack in the vision reached out for her shoulder and it sunk right through.

"I got all the windows closed Tooth," Bunny returned and walked into Jack. The boy in the ripped hoodie shrunk back, sitting into Sandy's cloud.

None of the guardians could see the frost boy. "North?" Jack whispered. All the stubborn attitude was gone and he saw the cold desperation of being completely alone filled both Jacks.

"We're leaving!" Jack Frost, the real Jack Frost with his worn brown pants, strong staff, and wild ice blue eyes screamed.

"As you wish." The spirit in the dark robe spoke.

Taking the thin hand they sunk into darkness.

"You have just seen the future that awaits you if you cannot over come your bitter feelings towards your fellow guardians." The voice echoed in his head.

"But that can't be my future." Jack shook his head. "How could they not see me I was right there. I don't want to be alone again."

"There is nothing to can do."

"I don't want to be alone again. I never want my friend to live through being alone and forgotten." Jack pulled his hand away form the thinner one. "That's never going to happen! I'm never going to be alone again!"

* * *

Jack sprung up, his body under a few inches of new snow. "Never!" He shouted. Rubbing his eyes he struggled to remember what had happened.

As the memories washed over him he glanced around franticly. It was early morning. The sun was just barely coming over the horizon.

Flying upward he shot into Burgess and saw all the lights. "It's Christmas!" He cried with glee. The surrounding area had so little snow. Jack took a deep breath and summoned the wind with it's icy flakes.

"Come on wind!" he shouted. "We've got a white Christmas to spread!"

Once snow was gently falling over most of the United States, he smiled to the north.

"Time to bring a little Christmas cheer to Santa himself."

**im sorry I didn't post this yesterday! Fanfiction wouldn't let me in! I'll post the last chapter soon I promise (again I'm so sorry)**

**r&r**


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